Did you recently receive a street racing traffic ticket in the Columbus metropolitan area? If so, you should contact a Columbus traffic attorney to discuss your street racing charge.

The fact that you received a traffic citation for street racing does not mean that you are guilty of this offense or that you will be convicted of this offense. A traffic lawyer may be able to resolve your street racing charge. Depending on the facts of your case, this resolution may result in a reduced violation, a no-points violation, diversion (resulting in dismissal upon completion of a defensive driving course and paying court costs), or even a dismissal.

Aside from the financial cost that must be paid to the court, a traffic conviction for street racing may result in points being added to your driving record, increased insurance premiums, and potential employment sanctions if you are required to drive a company vehicle for your employer. A conviction for street racing may appear on background checks run by current or future employers or professional licensing authorities.

A street racing conviction carries a license suspension, the possibility of community control sanctions and even potential jail time. Additionally, your license may be suspended if you accumulate 12 or more points on your driving record within a two-year period. These are just a few considerations when deciding whether to hire a Columbus traffic lawyer to represent you in your charge for street racing.

For legal assistance with your Columbus traffic ticket for street racing, contact us at (614) 695-5000 or online. Below is summary of the traffic offense of street racing, including the potential penalty and the points assessed if convicted of this offense.

Street racing.

Street racing is prohibited by Ohio Revised Code Section 4511.251. Street racing is defined as the operation of two or more vehicles from a point side by side at accelerating speeds in a competitive attempt to out-distance each other or the operation of one or more vehicles over a common selected course, from the same point to the same point, wherein timing is made of the participating vehicles involving competitive accelerations or speeds. Under this code section, criminal liability is not limited to the drivers. Rather, persons rendering assistance in any manner to such competitive use of vehicles are required to be equally charged as the participants. Street racing is prohibited on any public road, street, or highway in Ohio.

As to the requirements of proof, the operation of two or more vehicles side by side either at speeds in excess of prima-facie lawful speeds established by Section 4511.21(B)(1)(a) to (B)(8), or rapidly accelerating from a common starting point to a speed in excess of such prima-facie lawful speeds, is prima-facie evidence of street racing.

Penalty for street racing.

Street racing is a first degree misdemeanor. The penalty for street racing includes the potential imposition of a jail term of not more than 180 days, an additional or alternative community control sanction plus reimbursement for the cost of this sanction, a fine of up to $1,000, and court costs. Additionally, the court must suspend the offender’s driver’s license, commercial driver’s license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege for not less than thirty days or more than three years. No judge may suspend the first thirty days of any such suspension of an offender’s license, permit, or privilege.

Community control sanctions generally can include residential placement, house arrest, drug/alcohol testing and treatment, specified education and training, community service, curfew, probation, etc. Under certain circumstances, the court also may order an offender to pay restitution to any identifiable victim who incurred economic loss as a result of the violation.

Points assessed for street racing.

A conviction on a traffic ticket for street racing carries 6 points in Ohio on an offender’s driving record. For more information on how the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) processes points for moving violations and the substantial penalty for excessive points accumulation, press Ohio BMV Points System.

Call a Columbus attorney to discuss your ticket for street racing.

As indicated above, a conviction for street racing may result in the imposition of substantial penalties. If you are seeking a traffic lawyer, contact us at 614.695.5000 or online. We offer legal representation to drivers charged with traffic tickets in the Columbus metropolitan area, including Franklin County Municipal Court, Bexley Mayor’s Court, Canal Winchester Mayor’s Court, Dublin Mayor’s Court, Gahanna Mayor’s Court, Grandview Heights Mayor’s Court, Granville Mayor’s Court, Grove City Mayor’s Court, Hilliard Mayor’s Court, New Albany Mayor’s Court, Obetz Mayor’s Court, Pataskala Mayor’s Court, Pickerington Mayor’s Court, Reynoldsburg Mayor’s Court, Upper Arlington Mayor’s Court, Westerville Mayor’s Court, Whitehall Mayor’s Court and Worthington Mayor’s Court.

We also offer legal representation to drivers charged with traffic tickets in other courts near the Columbus metropolitan area, including Circleville Municipal Court (Pickaway County), Delaware County Municipal Court, Fairfield County Municipal Court, Licking County Municipal Court, Marysville Municipal Court (Union County), and Madison County Municipal Court.